Five dance artists commissioned for building-wide Festival at Sadler’s Wells East in 2027

Sadler’s Wells today announces FIVE DANCES, an eighteen-month development programme supporting five UK-based dance artists to create brand-new work for a building wide takeover Festival at Sadler’s Wells East in Summer 2027.

The five choreographers Chandenie Gobardhan (London), Liam Francis (Brighton), Malcolm Sutherland (Stirling), Ray Young (Nottingham) and Simeon Campbell (London) will premiere their works in a range of locations across Sadler’s Wells East and East Bank, the UK's newest cultural quarter, with audiences being able to watch all five dances in one sitting.

The artists were selected through a nomination panel made up of a mix of dance organisations, independent artists and companies from up and down the country, making it a truly nationwide project. Of the thirty final applicants, ten were invited to interview, and the final five were selected for their artistic visions and distinct choreographic style. Each artist is at a key stage in their career, and the hope is that the programme will be a catalyst to help them take the next step. The styles represented by the five choreographers include Bharatanatyam, hip hop, contemporary and transdisciplinary performance art.

The programme, thought up by Sadler’s Wells Associate Artistic Director Rob Jones, is a direct response to the current challenges facing dance artists. FIVE DANCES will put the artists in the best possible position to be able to tour their work going forward, by specifically commissioning midscale works that are technically lightweight with focus choreography. 

Each choreographer will receive a development commission of £20,000 and dedicated studio space, alongside mentoring, dramaturgical and production support to create their work for the Five Dance Festival in 2027.

Rob Jones, Associate Artistic Director at Sadler’s Wells, said “We are so excited to work with these five exceptional artists on this new project. Now more than ever we need to create spaces for great independent artists to develop their practice in a way that supports them to innovate and  better navigate the current economic landscape. Each one of them brings something truly original to the table, pushing the artform forward and will be the leaders of the future.”

Chandenie Gobardhan (she/they) is a London-based, Netherlands-born artist whose style is a carefully curated melting pot of Bharatanatyam, street dance and contemporary. Rooted in collaboration, curiosity, and cultural memory, their practice invites audiences to feel deeper and question what they think they know.  
 
Liam Francis (he/him) is an award-winning choreographer and dance artist. His career began with ZooNation Dance Company and he has worked with Rambert, LostDog, Hofesh Shechter and more.  Liam’s choreography has been presented internationally, including in London, New York, Rome, and Paris, with commissions from Rambert, Skånesdansteater, Ballett Theater Trier, and more. His creative practice is rooted in collaboration and hybridity, and seeks to explore how his eclectic embodied knowledge (hip hop, contemporary, and ballet) can find new artistic configurations. 
 
Malcolm Sutherland (he/him) is a choreographer and graduate of Central School of Ballet. He has worked with Jirí Kylián, Nacho Duato, Ohad Naharin, and Crystal Pite—he turned his focus to creating original work. His choreography has been presented across Europe and Japan, with commissions and presentations at venues such as Tafelhalle Nürnberg, Theater St. Gallen, Dance Arts Faculty, Interdans Festival, Nephrite Dance Company and the Vivo Centre. He holds an MA in Choreography with distinction and has been mentored by Chris Devaney, Kate Flatt, and Akram Khan.
 
Ray Young (they/them) is an award-winning transdisciplinary performance artist, writer, educator and coach. Creating unique, genre-defying work through collaboration and resistance to traditional form, Ray's practice exists at the boundaries of live art, activism and immersive experience. Examining race, queerness, climate justice and neurodiversity, Ray's work holds space for those who face intersecting systemic barriers, celebrating and championing these identities. Ray's recent work includes the critically acclaimed OUT, which recently toured internationally to Vancouver, Toronto and Belgium following a UK tour culminating at Sadler’s Wells.
 
Simeon ‘Kardinal’ Campbell (he/him) is an established Hip Hop dancer and choreographer. He has worked extensively in the commercial dance sector, performing alongside Beyoncé, Kanye West, FKA Twigs and Little Simz. As a key member of BirdGang Ltd, Sim has toured Europe and the US with Breakin’ Convention and represented the UK at the I-Dance Hip Hop International Championships in the US.  The only hearing member of his family, Sim’s ‘mother tongue’ is BSL, which he instinctively wove into his first choreographic work, SADBOI, exploring neurodivergence and mental health.

More information about the performance dates to be announced shortly.